Muslim extremists

I hope readers had a nice Thanksgiving. Emerging from my food coma, I intended to restart the discussion about money/investing when I saw this headline over on the Daily Express (UK) website Sunday:

“War-trained Islamic State fighters plan to strike in UK”

Marco Giannangeli reported yesterday morning:

HUNDREDS of Islamic State fighters have fled Syria and are heading for the UK and Europe to mount a series of Christmas attacks in revenge for their defeat at Raqqa.

The warning, from Turkish intelligence officers, follows concerns that the head of IS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, escaped Raqqa with thousands of armed extremist fighters- including many British jihadis- in a secret peace deal five weeks ago.

Last night a British military source who attended the briefing said it left no room for doubt.

“Their [Turkish] intelligence service briefed that IS have been smuggled into Turkey in numbers and are heading to Europe and the UK,” he said.

“The threat level is very high and it is evident the Turkish authorities have detained a number of people and are confident the information is accurate.”

(Editor’s note: Bold added for emphasis)

According to Giannangeli, “More than 4,000 IS fighters, still carrying weapons and ammunition, their families and hostages,” managed to escape as part of this alleged deal.

Now, if the mention of an arrangement with ISIS rings a bell with regular readers of the blog that’s because a week-and-a-half ago I brought up a November 13 BBC News article mentioning that same “secret peace deal.” I wrote:

Finally, there’s the following from Riam Dalati and Quentin Sommerville on the BBC News website on November 13. They penned a piece in which “The BBC has uncovered details of a secret deal that let hundreds of IS fighters and their families escape from Raqqa, under the gaze of the US and British-led coalition and Kurdish-led forces who control the city. A convoy included some of IS’s most notorious members and – despite reassurances – dozens of foreign fighters…”:

The number of Islamic State escapees floated by the Daily Express and BBC differ, but this particular terror threat to the United Kingdom and mainland Europe remains should there be some truth to these reports.

I know I’ve been blogging a lot lately about the subject of terrorism, but before I switch gears and tackle other topics I thought readers might like to know about a good jumping-off point for useful information about surviving a terrorist attack.

Back on November 18, 2015, Greg Ellifritz, President and Primary Instructor of Ohio-based Active Response Training, penned an article (portal, really) entitled “The Six Best Resources for Surviving a Terrorist Attack.” This was compiled two days after the carnage carried out by jihadists in Paris that claimed the lives of 130 people (with another 413 injured). The Ohio law enforcement officer wrote:

Since the multi-pronged terrorist attack on Paris last Friday, lots of experts have written articles about how to survive such an event. Some are great. Others are worthless.

I’ve been reading everything I can find about the attacks… Here are the best articles I’ve found on the topic (in no particular order). All are worth a read.

(Editor’s note: Bold added for emphasis)

“All are worth a read.”

They pretty much are, considering the material comes from “some of the smartest, most seasoned and dangerous dudes in the world.” The articles included:

Right before the weekend I blogged about the State Department issuing a “Europe Travel Alert” Thursday warning Americans about a “heightened risk of terrorist attacks throughout Europe, particularly during the holiday season.”

This morning, I came across the following on the website of Russian international TV network RT:

The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a warning to citizens, urging those traveling to European and US cities in the coming months to exercise caution, as the holiday season may prompt terrorist attacks in popular destinations.

In a brief message posted online, the Situational-Crisis Center said there was an increased probability of terrorist attacks during Christmas and the New Year, between December 20 and January 20. It added the hashtags #Europe and #USA.

(Editor’s note: Bold added for emphasis)

The Russians merely having a go at America? Or does Moscow actually possess some information about a potential terror threat directed against the United States- and in particular, American cities- during this timeframe?

No mention in the RT piece about specific intel which may have led to the Russian government issuing the warning.

New readers of the blog may be wondering why I brought up the threat of terrorism in France yesterday. Not our circus, nor our monkeys, right? Wrong. As I wrote back on September 22, 2014:

Regular readers of Survival And Prosperity know that I’ve taken the threat of terrorism by Muslim extremists seriously for years now- whether Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State, their affiliates, or sympathizers. While it’s obvious to me a number of entities (particularly politicians) are taking advantage of the newly-minted caliphate’s boogeyman factor these days for their own gain, I do believe the Islamic State does pose a real danger to Americans here and abroad. As such, I plan on blogging about the group formerly known as ISIS/ISIL on a regular basis.

“I do believe the Islamic State does pose a real danger to Americans here and abroad”

From a “Europe Travel Alert” issued by the U.S. Department of State earlier today:

The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the heightened risk of terrorist attacks throughout Europe, particularly during the holiday season. U.S. citizens should exercise caution at holiday festivals and events. This Travel Alert expires on January 31, 2018…

Extremists continue to focus on tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities as viable targets. In addition, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, high-profile events, educational institutions, airports, and other soft targets remain priority locations for possible attacks. U.S. citizens should exercise additional vigilance in these and similar locations.

Terrorists persist in employing a variety of tactics, including firearms, explosives, using vehicles as ramming devices, and sharp-edged weapons that are difficult to detect prior to an attack.

(Editor’s note: Bold added for emphasis)

The official warning comes on the heels of a new threat directed against the Vatican by the Islamic State. Nicole Rojas reported on the International Business Times website yesterday:

Isis has made a terrifying threat against the Vatican in the weeks before thousands of faithful are set to descend on the Holy See for Christmas celebrations. A pro-Isis propaganda channel made the threat by releasing a poster showing a car attack.

The ominous poster, reading “Christmas blood” and “so wait…” depicts a masked jihadi driving towards St Peter’s Basilica in a BMW. An assault rifle, backpack and explosives ride along in the passenger seat.

The threatening poster was released by the pro-Isis Wafa Media Foundation, according to monitor Site Intelligence Group. The terror monitoring group MEMRI said the image first appeared on anonymous messaging app Telegram on Tuesday (14 November) night.

(Editor’s note: Bold added for emphasis)

I remind readers of a speech made by Islamic State spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani back on September 21, 2014. From “Indeed Your Lord Is Ever Watchful”:

O Americans, and O Europeans, the Islamic State did not initiate a war against you, as your governments and media try to make you believe. It is you who started the transgression against us, and thus you deserve blame and you will pay a great price. You will pay the price when your economies collapse. You will pay the price when your sons are sent to wage war against us and they return to you as disabled amputees, or inside coffins, or mentally ill. You will pay the price as you are afraid of travelling to any land. Rather you will pay the price as you walk on your streets, turning right and left, fearing the Muslims. You will not feel secure even in your bedrooms. You will pay the price when this crusade of yours collapses, and thereafter we will strike you in your homeland, and you will never be able to harm anyone afterwards. You will pay the price, and we have prepared for you what will pain you…

If you can kill a disbelieving American or European- especially the spiteful and filthy French- or an Australian, or a Canadian, or any other disbeliever from the disbelievers waging war, including the citizens of the countries that entered into a coalition against the Islamic State, then rely upon Allah, and kill him in any manner or way however it may be. Do not ask for anyone’s advice and do not seek anyone’s verdict. Kill the disbeliever whether he is civilian or military, for they have the same ruling. Both of them are disbelievers. Both of them are considered to be waging war [the civilian by belonging to a state waging war against the Muslims]. Both of their blood and wealth is legal for you to destroy, for blood does not become illegal or legal to spill by the clothes being worn. The civilian outfit does not make blood illegal to spill, and the military uniform does not make blood legal to spill. The only things that make blood illegal and legal to spill are Islam and a covenant (peace treaty, dhimma, etc.). Blood becomes legal to spill through disbelief. So whoever is a Muslim, his blood and wealth are sanctified. And whoever is a disbeliever, his wealth is legal for a Muslim to take and his blood is legal to spill. His blood is like the blood of a dog; there is no sin for him in spilling it nor is there any blood money to be paid for doing such…

If you are not able to find an IED or a bullet, then single out the disbelieving American, Frenchman, or any of their allies. Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him. Do not lack. Do not be contemptible. Let your slogan be, “May I not be saved if the cross worshipper and taghūt (ruler ruling by manmade laws) patron survives.”

If you are unable to do so, then burn his home, car, or business. Or destroy his crops.

If you are unable to do so, then spit in his face. If your self refuses to do so, while your brothers are being bombarded and killed, and while their blood and wealth everywhere is deemed lawful by their enemies, then review your religion. You are in a dangerous condition because the religion cannot be established without walā’ and barā’…

And so we promise you by Allah’s permission that this campaign will be your final campaign. It will be broken and defeated, just as all your previous campaigns were broken and defeated, except that this time we will raid you thereafter, and you will never raid us. We will conquer your Rome, break your crosses, and enslave your women, by the permission of Allah, the Exalted. This is His promise to us; He is glorified and He does not fail in His promise. If we do not reach that time, then our children and grandchildren will reach it, and they will sell your sons as slaves at the slave market.

(Editor’s note: Bold added for emphasis)

You can read that entire travel advisory on the State Department website here.

As the “War on Terror” drags on, France could be targeted (again) by ISIS. And soon.

Consider some developments I’ve come across in my research the past several days. First, Henry Samuel reported on The Telegraph (UK) website on November 6:

French police are investigating death threats against satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo over a cartoon of Oxford scholar Tariq Ramadan, who is facing rape allegations.

The provocative magazine, which suffered a deadly jihadist attack in January 2015 after publishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, depicted Ramadan its edition last Wednesday in an explicit pose, with the caption: “I am the sixth pillar of Islam.”

The five pillars of Islam are the five basic practices obligatory for believers: faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and the pilgrimage to Mecca.

A minority of Sunni scholars considers jihad, or holy struggle – which can have different meanings – to be the sixth pillar of Islam.

(Editor’s note: Bold added for emphasis)

Next, Simon Osborne wrote on the Daily Express (UK) website on November 9:

A sick propaganda poster released by the ISIS-linked Wafa Media Foundation warns of another massacre in the French capital.

The chilling poster features an image of the Eiffel Tower merged with a rifle and declares children will be targeted in a new onslaught.

It carries messages in Arabic and English saying France “will pay very expensive price for your war on Islam”.

The poster says: “We will take revenge for the blood of Muslims on your land. We will kill the young before the older watch this.”

(Editor’s note: Bold added for emphasis)

Finally, there’s the following from Riam Dalati and Quentin Sommerville on the BBC News website on November 13. They penned a piece in which “The BBC has uncovered details of a secret deal that let hundreds of IS fighters and their families escape from Raqqa, under the gaze of the US and British-led coalition and Kurdish-led forces who control the city. A convoy included some of IS’s most notorious members and – despite reassurances – dozens of foreign fighters…”:

Abu Basir al-Faransy, a young Frenchman, left before the going got really tough in Raqqa. He’s now in Idlib, where he says he wants to stay.

The fighting in Raqqa was intense, even back then, he says.

“We were front-line fighters, waging war almost constantly [against the Kurds], living a hard life. We didn’t know Raqqa was about to be besieged.”

Disillusioned, weary of the constant fighting and fearing for his life, Abu Basir decided to leave for the safety of Idlib. He now lives in the city.

He was part of an almost exclusively French group within IS, and before he left some of his fellow fighters were given a new mission.

There are some French brothers from our group who left for France to carry out attacks in what would be called a ‘day of reckoning.’”

(Editor’s note: Bold added for emphasis)

“Day of reckoning.” Not good, should Abu’s claims have any credibility.

According to Reuters on November 12:

The French secret services estimate that about 690 French nationals are now in Iraq and Syria, including some 295 women. Estimates from late 2015 suggested about 2,000 French citizens had gone to fight with Islamic State.

Last Friday on the blog I noted three articles I came across on the Internet that contained strategies for surviving vehicular terorrism.

I’d like to add one more to the list.

Gabe Suarez, a decorated veteran of Southern California law enforcement and president of the personal safety training outfit Suarez International, published “Defeating Vehicle Jihadist Attacks” Thursday on his blog. As with the other pieces, there’s overlap but “new” ideas as well. For example, Suarez penned:

If you have the need to stop a moving vehicle understand that once it is moving, a mere small arms projectile will not stop it. But you may get an opportunity to kill the driver. Killing the driver by penetrating the windshield can be done, but if the car is moving toward you, you are better served by moving out of its path rather than shooting at it. From the side however, it is a different matter. Shooting a driver through the side window is easy, and easier than shooting him through the windshield. Trust me…it is very easy to do this.

It’s worth a read, along with many other of his “Counter Terrorism” posts.

And while we’re on the topic of Gabe Suarez, his latest blog post happens to be about the mass shooting down in Texas. It included the following reminder to readers:

In the last month we have seen a rifleman in an hotel room pulling off the greatest mass murder in recent history, a jihadist running a truck into a crowd, and now a mass murder inside a church.

This is not fantasy, it is real.

We live in a time of war…

(Editor’s note: Bold added for emphasis)

“We live in a time of war”

A real “inconvenient truth” many Americans just can’t (won’t) wrap their minds around.

Still, some are waking up to the threat and have prepared/are preparing accordingly.

“Defeating Vehicle Jihadist Attacks” can be found on The Gabe Suarez Bloghere.

“A truck-driving terrorist carved a mile-long path of carnage through lower Manhattan, killing eight innocents Tuesday as he plowed down helpless victims on a bike path. The rented white pickup hopped the curb at W. Houston with ISIS-inspired suspect Sayfullo Saipov drawing a bead on bicyclists as screams filled the Halloween skies and blood stained the pavement…”

–New York Daily News website, November 1, 2017

Continuing on the topic of vehicles from last night night, have any readers thought about how you might try to survive a vehicle terror attack like the one that took place in New York City earlier this week? A legitimate concern, I think, for those who live/work in and visit the “big city” (not saying “Main Street” couldn’t be in the bad guys’ crosshairs too). Consider the following from Alex Nowrasteh on the Cato Institute’s blog Halloween evening:

Vehicle attacks are not the norm in the United States where firearms are more readily available, but they are rising in frequency, as we saw in Charlottesville earlier this year. ISIS recently encouraged its followers to use trucks in lone wolf terrorist attacks and Saipov allegedly left a note declaring allegiance to that wannabe-Caliphate.

RAND Corporation terrorism expert Brian Michael Jenkins remarked that airplane hijackings were the norm for 1970s terrorist attacks while suicide bombers were the norm for the 1980s. Today, vehicle attacks are increasingly common around the world. Jenkins identified approximately 40 vehicle attacks around the world from 2000 through 2016 that resulted in 167 deaths, approximately four per attack. That total also includes the terrorists who died carrying them out…

(Editor’s note: Bold added for emphasis)

As vehicular terrorism shouldn’t be taken lightly, I scoured the Internet for strategies to avoid falling victim to such violence. Three articles grabbed my attention:

While there’s some overlap, each piece brings different yet complimentary ideas to the table. I’m thinking a decent plan to counter the car or truck terror attack could be developed from these resources. But that’s something readers can decide for themselves.